TAMPA (WFLA) — Health care company AdventHealth says as many as 33,000 Florida patients who took COVID-19 tests may have been told incorrect results, or received no results at all.
The Florida company said over the weekend that it terminated its contract with one of its third-party coronavirus testing labs because of the unreliable test results.
It is possible there were patients who tested negative but were in fact positive, and patients who tested positive who were actually negative.
Those impacted will be receiving a letter from AdventHealth and may also receive a phone call.
These individuals fall into the following two categories:
- Those whose samples were processed and whose results provided by the lab are not deemed reliable.
- Individuals who had unreliable positive results will require retesting.
- Individuals with unreliable negative results who are symptomatic need to seek care and may require retesting.
- Individuals with unreliable negative results who are asymptomatic but request to be retested will be offered testing pending availability.
- Those whose samples are at the lab in question and are part of the backlog will not be tested; therefore, no result will be available.
- These patients may require retesting if they are symptomatic.
- The lab has been directed to destroy these samples in accordance with the law.
AdventHealth released the following statement:
“Unfortunately, one of these labs processing a significant number of our public tests has been unable to fulfill its obligation. AdventHealth has terminated its contract with this lab and we share in the disappointment and frustration this situation has created. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and uncertainty it has caused. This situation has created unacceptable delays, and we do not have confidence in the reliability of the tests.”
